6 Slasher Movies That Subvert The Final Girl Rules
Counting down some of our favorite unexpected heroines.
Throughout slasher history, there haven't been many surprising or unexpected final girls. Many slasher movies have made it obvious who will likely survive until the end, usually due to the formerly limited definition of a “final girl.” The defining characteristics of a final girl used to primarily center on virginal (or lacking in outright sexuality) qualities, a woman who abstains from drugs, partying, and is overall “virtuous.” However, as the definition has evolved and been redefined over time, we've encountered some final girls in horror that nobody really expected.
There's nothing wrong with praising final girls who fit the original archetype or are positioned as the final girl from the beginning. Take iconic final girls like Halloween's Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis or Scout Taylor-Compton in the Rob Zombie remake) or Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in Scream. However, the unexpected final girls who kick ass and surprise us with their desire to survive are worth mentioning as well. Throughout the 2000s, we were gifted with quite a few of these surprising final girls, though some ladies on this list are from slashers that came out after 2010.
If you've seen the movies discussed below, the following list of unexpected final girls might be a fun (and surprising) reminder. If you haven't watched these all, beware of spoilers!